


Cryptids and Kryptonite

by Skulls_surround_suns



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cryptids, Is that a thing, M/M, also, and confusion, and pidge is a little shit, keith and lance are dorks, really bad flirting, scientific case study, shiro gives good advice, switching pov randomly, this took way longer than it should have, wrong class au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-27
Updated: 2017-01-27
Packaged: 2018-09-20 05:33:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9477809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skulls_surround_suns/pseuds/Skulls_surround_suns
Summary: “Wait. Stop,” Keith put his hand up to silence Lance. “What did you say?”“Stars and some shit?” Lance asked, the confusion apparent on his face.“No, no. Before that.”“That we would be learning about something else in astronomy.”Keith shook his head.“Dude, this isn’t astronomy.”aka: Keith can't stop laughing (and yelling) at this idiot sitting next to him who got stuck in his cryptozoology class by accident.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a prompt and also on this great class that I found:  
> Rowe MP. National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. 2015. Crazy about cryptids! An ecological hunt for Nessie and other legendary creatures. http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/detail.asp?case_id=779&id=779 
> 
> This is my first Klance fic, so the characters might be a little OOC because I was just trying to get a feel for them. Let me know what y'all think when you're done reading.

Keith was very nearly late- and it wasn’t his fault (this time).

 

He blamed Shiro entirely. Normally it took his cousin around fifteen to twenty minutes to get ready, but this morning he had been in the bathroom for rounding on  _ forty  _ minutes _.  Probably perfecting his eyeliner for that date- er, ‘study session’ with Allura,  _ Keith thought bitterly. Well, not too bitterly. He was glad Shiro had found someone like Allura, and he wouldn’t tell Shiro this, but he thought they would be pretty good together. 

 

But he wasn’t too happy for Shiro. Not after, when Shiro had finally left the bathroom, Keith didn’t even have time to take a shower, opting instead to shove a red beanie over his hair and to pull on black jeans and a t-shirt before grabbing his leather jacket from the hook where it hung and his skateboard and darting out the door.  Not when he was (almost) late to the only class at the university that Keith ever actually looked forward to. 

 

Not that Keith  _ didn’t like  _ university. Well, he didn’t  _ dislike  _ it, he just didn’t  _ like  _ it. School had never been exceptionally challenging. He had always done well in his classes, sometimes even excelling in straightforward subjects like math and physics. It wasn’t challenging, no, he was just not particularly...motivated? He wasn’t really sure what he wanted to do with his life, and so was never really passionate about any of his classes. He had wanted to drop out, but Shiro insisted that he at least finish a four year school. After that he could do whatever he wanted (though what he wanted he had no idea).

 

It was only the second week of his freshman year, and so, to Shiro’s request, Keith tried to keep it positive. He didn’t have to live in the dorms because Shiro already had an off campus apartment. The roads were smoothly paved, so he didn’t have to pay a ton of attention when he skated. He didn’t have any 8:00 classes, unlike high school where he had to wake up at 6:00 every day. Lastly, he at least had one class that didn’t bore him half to death- so far. One class that he was going to be late to if he didn’t hurry his ass up.

 

Keith looked at his watch. He had about...eight minutes to get to class. He could probably get there in five if nothing got in his-

 

“-acK!  Coño! ” 

 

Keith heard the noise before he saw the person. By reflexes alone he somehow managed to swerve to the side, stepping off his board before he would skate into the bushes at the side of the foot path. He grabbed the board off the ground after stumbling for a second from the unexpected almost-crash before turning around to see if the person he had just barely avoided was okay.

 

“Hey, man, are you okay?” He asked, walking over. The guy was crouching on the ground, picking up a few papers he had apparently dropped. He had brown hair and dark-ish skin and a long, lithe body that was enveloped in a huge army green bomber jacket with orange bands around the arms that looked vaguely familiar…

 

The guy looked up and visibly recoiled. Keith noticed that he had short hair with choppy bangs, like they had been cut at home, and brilliant dra blue eyes. An assumably angry flush had spread across his tan cheeks. 

 

“You!” He shouted, gathering up the rest of his papers and standing up swiftly. His bright blue eyes flashed angrily. Keith wondered if the guy recognised him. Keith felt like he kinda recognised him from somewhere. Maybe he had a class with him…?

 

“Oh, of course it would be you! Mr. Hotshot with a skateboard. Don’t you ever look where you are going!?” He yelled, waving his arms around dramatically. Keith was taken aback. This guy was  _ so  _ rude. Keith didn’t have time for this.

 

“Geez, I was just trying to help you. Sorry for almost crashing into you, but maybe if you hadn’t been just standing in the middle of the road then-”

 

“Oh, so it’s my fault?! Well, maybe if you weren’t such a-” The guy started. Keith looked at his watch.  _ Shit.  _ If he left now then he could just make it in time.

 

“Whatever, I don’t have time for this.” He said, interrupting the guy’s rant. He hopped onto his skateboard and took off, only looking back to revel in the guy’s outraged sputtering. 

 

;;;

 

Keith made it to class right on time. Actually, he made it a minute early. The classroom was relatively small, this subject not being the most popular, and only held about twenty people at a time. The teacher stood talking to an older student, but he twirled his moustache and winked at Keith when he walked in. Keith wasn’t really sure what to make of Coran. He was really strange, but he taught his subject well. Maybe he would mellow out as the semester progressed.

 

Keith chose a seat near the back, as he did the last two classes. He prefered sitting in the back because teachers were less likely to ask him questions or notice when he doodled in the margins of his notebook. 

 

“Okay, everyone.” Coran said, addressing the room. A few people still snickered at his unusual accent, but Coran continued as if he hadn’t heard. “I have given you the rundown the past few classes, but today we will start with some serious learning. I am going to fill your head holes!” 

 

Keith rolled his eyes.  _ Finally.  _ He had signed up for this class last minute, after he had seen the small space it took on the registry. It almost overcrowded his schedule, so he hoped it would be worth it.

 

“Today, and for the next few weeks, we will be talking about aliens and the existence of and possible visitations from extraterrestrial life forms. I expect most of you have heard to the Roswell coverup.” Coran looked around the room, probably looking to see if anyone seemed confused. “If you haven’t I will take ten minutes to explain the history and theories surrounding it before moving on to the possible biological research that could be done if such a thing has or could happen.” 

 

At this Keith zoned out. He already knew about Roswell, at least what was available to him online. He sighed and shifted in his seat. He wondered if maybe he should be listening.  _ Maybe I should just record this part for later.  _ Keith shaded in the small alien spaceship doodle he had drawn in the corner of his paper.  _ Is that even allowed? Will I get in trouble for getting out my phone. _ No one had asked about this on their first day.

 

Keith was shaken out of his thoughts by the door at the front of the classroom slamming shut behind someone and loud panting. He looks up and- _ Oh, quiznak. Of course. _ It’s that guy from earlier. Keith still feels like he should know him from somewhere. He was at the front of the class, making a big fuss to Coran, who is trying to quiet him down, but the guy is loud enough that keith can here him apologising from the front of the room.

 

“I-I am so sorry, sir. I don’t know where anything is and I got to the wrong room several times and I really didn’t mean to be late-”

 

“Okay, if you will just sit down-”

 

“And there was this jerk from earlier-” Keith guessed he was talking about him. “-and I still don’t really know my way around campus-”

 

“That’s okay! I just rather you didn’t make a racket. What’s your name agai-”

 

“Jeez, I feel so bad for interrupting your class, is there like a registry or-”

 

“Holy quiznak, boy, where were you the past few classes!?” Coran said, raising his voice to talk over the guy. The guy shrinks back a little bit, but Keith knows that Coran isn’t mad- he just has a flair for the dramatics. “If you had come then you would probably know that you sign at the end of class and that when you come in you should  _ really  _ just be quiet.” Coran rubs a hand over his face.

 

“I-I’m sorry, sir. I had a family emergency.” 

 

Coran inhaled slowly. “That’s fine. You can call me Coran. Just go take a seat next to...Keith! He should be able to catch you up. Keith! Can you tell uh, sorry, what was your name?”

 

“Lance.”

 

“Can you catch Lance up on what we have covered the past few days? And Lance, at the moment we are discussing the Roswell crash.”

 

“Roswell? But isn’t that-” The guy- Lance- says, his eyebrows raised in confusion.  _ Should have known what you signed up for, buddy. _ Keith hoped that this Lance guy hadn’t just signed up for the laughs. This class had cost money, and anyone who had enough money to waste on a class they would just make fun of was someone that Keith didn’t want to associate himself with. There had been a few of those people on the first day and well, Keith was glad they were gone.

 

“Yes, yes, now go sit down. We have a lot to cover today.” Coran says, shooing Lance to the seat next to Keith. Lance smiles sheepishly before sitting down.

 

“Heyyy man.” He says quietly to Keith. Keith just raises his eyebrow, unimpressed. “So could you get me all caught up? I need to get to learning about-” He looks up at a picture of an Alien being projected onto the board and snickers. “Roswell.”

 

Keith narrows his eyes.  _ This guy is really starting to piss me off. _

 

“What’s so funny?” He asks. Lance seems taken aback by his sharp voice.

 

“I don’t know? The fact that we are learning about alien conspiracies in astronomy. I thought we would be learning about like, stars or some shit.” He says. Keith notices that when he speaks his hands and his expressions tell almost as much as his words. It’s like a whole show. Everything is like a show with Lance. The way he speaks, the way he moves, the way he fidgets in his seat, pushing his hair back and twirling a pencil in his hand. It’s mesmerizing. It’s distracting.

 

“Wait. Stop,” Keith put his hand up to silence Lance. “What did you say?”

 

“Stars and some shit?” Lance asked, the confusion apparent on his face.

 

“No, no. Before that.”

 

“That we would be learning about something else in astronomy.”

 

Keith shook his head. 

 

“Dude, this isn’t astronomy.” 

 

The look on Lance’s face was comical. His eyes widened drastically, his eyebrows almost disappearing into his hairline. He looked desperately around the room, finally seeming to really take in the alien on the screen and the posters Coran had put on the board for the class, before whipping his head back to Keith, his blue eyes wide in surprise and his mouth gaping. 

 

“Well shit.” He said simply. Keith almost burst out laughing. “Then what class is this?”

 

“This is Scientific Case Study.” 

 

“Scientific Case- you mean like cryptids? Bigfoot, Lochness monster-”

 

“Don’t call Nessie that-”

 

“Nessie-” Lance stifled a small laugh and Keith scowled and rolled his eyes. Lance could think what he wants, it doesn't matter to him.

 

“You can’t laugh at me. You’re the one who sat through one fourth of a class he wasn’t even a part of. Why are you even still here? Don’t you have astronomy right now?” Keith asked pointedly. Lance stopped laughing abruptly. 

 

“Oh. Oh, what the cheese man, why didn’t you remind me earlier.” He said, scrambling to shove his stuff in his bag.

 

“Hey, it’s not my class.” 

 

Lance rolled his eyes and began to stand up, but stopped suddenly. Keith glanced up at Lance who was staring at the front of the room and then followed his gaze to Coran. Keith could read his expression even though it wasn’t aimed at him.  _ Don’t you dare interrupt this class again,  _ it read. Lance slowly sat back down and Coran continued teaching.

 

“What am I gonna do!?” Lance whined quietly while sliding down in his seat. “I have an actual class right now!”

 

“Not my problem.” Keith said, crossing his arms and turning towards the board. Lance clasped his hands together, trying to look as sorrowful as possible.

 

“But  _ Keeiith.” _ He said, putting on a ridiculous pout. Keith refused to think it was attractive, because it was not and he would not be swayed, he would not be-

 

“Okay, Lance, what do you want?” He said, turning to face him. Lance’s face lit up with surprise, like he couldn’t believe that had worked. Keith couldn’t quite believe it either.

 

“What do I do?” Lance asked. Keith shrugged.

 

“I guess you could...do you have a friend or something in that class you are taking? You could ask them for their notes for the day.” Keith said. Lance thought for a second.

 

“Yeah...yeah, yeah yeah. Hunk’s in that class!” He exclaimed, slightly too loudly.

 

“Keith, Lance. Can you keep quiet back there. I  _ am  _ teaching a lesson right now.” Coran called from the front of the room. Lance nodded quickly.

 

“Okay, then just get the notes from...the hunk.” Keith said. He thought it was strange that Lance referred to his friend as ‘Hunk’. Didn’t that mean a strong, sexually attractive man? Maybe this ‘hunk’ was a boyfriend. Keith didn’t know why that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

 

“The Hunk,” Lance snickered. “Dude, it’s just ‘Hunk’. It’s a nickname.” Lance laughed and Keith wondered why the bitter taste was suddenly gone.

 

“Okay, well then get Hunk to send you the notes.” He said. “You probably could’ve thought of that yourself.” 

 

Lance turned away and stuck his nose in the air haughtily. 

 

“I could’ve. I was just distracted.” He said.

 

“Distracted? Distracted by what?” Keith didn’t think there were very many things that could have distracted Lance from trying to get out of class. He seemed like he would be a master of that.

 

Lance flushed, the blush spreading across his skin and down his neck and on the tops of his ears.

 

“I-er, it was,” He looked around, seemingly desperately grasping for something before he zeroed in on something by Keith’s head. “Your mullet! He exclaimed. I was just distracted by your stupid mullet.”

 

Keith burned hot with embarrassment. Which was stupid, because he should really not care what Lance thought. He could see Coran eyeing them from the front of the classroom, but he felt like his frustration was overflowing. He couldn’t help yelling back.

 

“Don’t make fun of my m- my hair! Your dumb bangs aren’t any better!” He yelled. Lance gasped and placed a hand to his bangs dramatically. Keith was lying of course. Yeah the bangs would have looked terrible on any other person, but they were on lance and well, Keith wasn’t gonna lie. Lance was reasonable (very) attractive, Keith had eyes, and he could probably pull anything off. Not that Keith would ever tell him that. 

 

“How dare- at least I don’t look like Billy Ray Cyrus. Hey Keith, the eighties called. They want their hair ba-”

 

“Keith! Lance!” They heard bellowed across the room. Keith whipped his head around to look at Coran, who was pointing at the door. “Out. Both of you. You are disrupting this class and preventing  _ learning _ which is why everyone is here in the first place. You may come back once you have worked out this, this funk between you. Please get the notes from someone else in the class so you can stay updated and turn in your homework online. Now please escort yourselves out.”

 

The whole class was silent. You could hear a pin drop, it was so quiet. Everyone was turned around in their seats staring at them in a way that made Keith’s skin itch. Lance was sitting completely still beside him, but Keith had had enough.

 

“I’m sorry Coran. It won’t happen again.” Keith said, packing his bag, shoving his notebook and pencils into it.

 

“I would think not.” Coran said smartly, before turning back to the board and continuing the lesson. After that, the atmosphere changed. The attention was no longer on them, so Keith felt comfortable to pack a bit more quickly and head the fuck out. When Keith slung his bag on his shoulder Lance came to, blinking for a second before picking up his already packed bag and jogging to catch up with Keith, who was already leaving the classroom. 

 

Keith dragged his skateboard behind him. He knew he should have just hopped on and took off, maybe going home to study or do the homework that Coran had mentioned. Instead, for no obvious reason other than apparently being a masochist, Keith kept dragging his skateboard behind him a walked at a slow pace, waiting for Lance to catch up.

 

Lance finally jogged up beside him, the sound of Lance’s feet slapping the pavement echoing in the mostly empty quad of the north campus. The north campus was nearly always empty. The only thing it held were a few buildings that were supposed to be a tutoring center, but never really took off because they couldn’t find any tutor and student were just getting tutored at the library anyways, a couple of teacher’s offices and a building full of classes like  _ Scientific Case Study _ , that very few people took and that the college wasn’t quite sure if they wanted people to know they even existed.

 

“Why are you following me?” Keith asked. He glanced at Lance sideways. He looked completely relaxed, as if he got thrown out of classes all the time. Keith wouldn’t be surprised. Lance never stopped talking. 

 

“I’m not following you.” Lance said defensively. “And how do I know you’re not following me?”

 

“You’re behind me, dufus.” Keith said, with no sting. Lance tutted, but Keith could see him grinning. 

 

“You got me there man.” Lance pointed finger guns at Keith.

 

“Well, could you stop?” Keith heard himself say. He didn’t really mean it. He didn’t know why he didn’t mean it. For the whole time (though short it had been) that he had known Lance, Lance had only insulted him, yelled at him and made fun of him. Keith had every reason to be annoyed, but for some reason he was not. Keith found Lance to be entertaining and talking to him was almost difficult. Like everything he said and thought was automatically being challenged. And after all, he had been looking for a challenge.

 

Lastly, there was a sense of familiarity. Maybe it was due to Keith’s weird sense of deja vu with Lance, but he felt like it was more than that. They just seemed to fit, exchanging barbs like they had been doing it for years. Maybe it was complete bullshit and Keith was making it all up in his head because he was talking to an attractive man and was trying to take any kind of connection he could get, but maybe it wasn’t. Talking to Lance was easy, which was crazy because he had just said it was difficult, but it was challenging without being uncomfortable. He felt like he could relax and have an actual conversation without being on his guard all of the time. Which was complete BS, but it was still the way he felt (usually Keith ignored all of his feelings, but something was telling him not to).

 

Lance slowed down a little bit and so Keith followed suit to match his pace. Lance seemed to find that answer enough and so he kept walking with Keith. They walked in silence for a few minuted before either one of them spoke. And of course it was Lance.

 

“Wow, I can’t believe mister Keith Kogane, the perfect pupil, got exiled from his favorite class.” Lance said, side eyeing Keith to see a reaction.

 

“Oh my god, what the quiznak. Do you have to insult me literally all the time.” 

 

“Yes, I do. It just comes naturally. And joke’s on you. I don’t even know what a quiznak is.” Lance said.

 

“Yeah, I agree,” Keith retorted. “Being in asshole does come naturally to you.” A small smile began to appear on his face, but then expanded into a full out grin when Lance squawked in indignation.

 

“Keith, you- shut your quiznak-”

 

“You’re not even using that right-”

 

“-I came out to have a good time, but I am honestly feeling so attacked right now-”

 

Keith interrupted him with a loud laugh. Lance stopped in his tracks for a second with a kinda stunned look on his face before beginning to laugh along with Keith. Keith noticed that when Lance laughed his nose crinkled in a way where Keith could see his freckles.  _ Freckles.  _ Keith had always loved freckles. 

 

Keith choked on that thought, and his laugh turned into coughing.

 

“Woah, man, you okay?” Lance asked, slapping Keith’s back. Keith’s face burned with humiliation. 

 

“Yeah, yeah, I’m okay.” He said awkwardly. Lance gave him a doubtful look. 

 

“Okay, man. Jeez, I’ve never seen you laugh like that. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

 

Keith frowned. Lance spoke like he knew Keith. He said that he had never seen him laugh like that, but from what Keith knew, he had met Lance that morning when he had gotten in the way of his skateboard.  _ And then,  _ Keith thought,  _ he knew my last name. Earlier he said Keith Kogane. _ Keith was sure that he had recognised Lance. Maybe his intuition was right.

 

“Hey Lance,” Keith said suddenly.

 

“Yeah?” Lance said. His eyebrow arched in curiosity. 

 

“Do we- uh- do we know each other.” 

 

For the second time in their conversation Lance stopped walking. He spread his arms out incredulously.

 

“Dude, are you serious! The name’s  _ Lance!  _ We were in a bunch of the same classes as Garrison high? We were like rivals, y’know, Lance and Keith, neck and neck-”

 

“Oh, wait. I remember you.” Keith said.

 

“Really?!” Lance exclaimed.

 

“No.” Keith answered sheepishly. Lance's face fell so Keith hurried to correct himself. “I mean, I kinda recognised you. I just thought you were in one of my classes here. To be honest though, I don’t really remember any of high school. I kinda just blocked out those four years of my life.” High school was not a really great time in Keith’s life. After moving around from foster family to foster family he ended up at Garrison for his last two years of high school. He decided to lay low, not interact with anyone so as not to attract trouble and force him to move again. The only good thing that had come out of that time was meeting Shiro, his adopted cousin, though Keith stopped calling him his  _ adopted  _ cousin after Shiro became his best, and first, real friend.

 

Lance frowned and his forehead crinkled in between his eyebrows. Keith liked how expressive lance’s eyebrows were.

 

“Hmm, I don’t know man. I liked high school.” He said. Keith snorted.

 

“You would.”

 

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?!” Lance said, with fake offence.

 

“Well, you had a lot of friends. And you were on like, swim team or something, right?”

 

“So you do remember me!” 

 

Keith suppressed a smile.

 

“It’s coming back.” 

 

Lance make a ‘hrumph’ noise at that, be he was still smiling. Even Keith was smiling, which was strange, because he rarely smiled. He didn’t think he wanted to stop.

 

“Anyway,” Lance said. “You could’ve just come and sat with us. My friends are all pretty chill.” Lance gave him a lopsided grin and Keith smiled softly, adjusting his grip on his skateboard.

 

“Thanks for the sentiment,” Keith said. “But I am pretty sure you would’ve popped an artery if I had just sat down next to you at lunch.”

 

Lance laughed.

 

“That’s probably true. You could’ve joined a club or something. Maybe you could’ve made your own Cryptid Club. I’m sure Pidge would’ve been all over that. They love aliens and shit.” Keith chuckled. 

 

“Could've, would’ve. I don’t know. I guess I’m just gonna move on and hope I make  friends in college.” He said. Lance’s eyes went huge at that, like he couldn’t believe Keith didn’t have any friends. Keith wouldn’t say he had  _ no _ friends. He had Shiro, and just because he was his cousin didn’t mean it didn’t count. And maybe he could count Allura as a friend. Coran too, if he was imaginative.

 

“Dude, dude. You’ve already made a friend.” Lance said, throwing an arm over Keith’s shoulders.

 

“I have?” Keith couldn’t think of anyone who could be his friend. Maybe Rolo from Economics?

 

Lance facepalmed with the hand not currently draped along Keith’s shoulder.

 

“ _ Dude.  _ It’s  _ me _ . I’m the new friend. We-” Lance gestured between them. “-are now friends.”

 

“We are?” Keith said. Just that morning it had seemed like Lance hated him. Now they were friends?

 

“Yeah. And you’ll have even more when you meet Pidge and Hunk.”

 

“Pidge and Hunk?”

 

“Yeah, you’ll get along great with Pidge because of the whole alien thing and Hunk, well, everyone loved Hunk. Though Hunk does not love everyone, so you better be nice. He’s my best friend.” Lance pointed at Keith and narrowed his eyes like he believed that Lance was planning on hurting Hunk from the start. Keith shook his head.

 

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

 

“Good! Now let’s go get something to eat. I am star-ving.” Lance sing songed before grabbing Keith by the hand and dragging him to a nearby cafe. Keith found it hard to ignore the warm feeling he felt in his chest and the butterflies he felt in his stomach. 

 

;;;

 

“Okay, so let me get this straight. There’s this man...who’s also a moth? And he brings disaster wherever he goes?” Lance asks, quirking an eyebrow. He had wanted to know why Keith had decided to take Scientific Case Study, which had led to Keith talking about his favorite cryptids and conspiracies. 

 

The late august sun was warm on his back as Lance sat outside of a small cafe on campus. He had dragged Keith over to this one because they were the only cafe near here that made pastelitos. They weren’t as good as his mama’s, but it was still a taste of home. He picked apart the top, peeling the pastry back a little, waiting for Keith to finish blowing on his tea and answer.

 

“Yeah, yeah.” Keith says to Lance’s doubtful expression. He pulls up a picture of the Silver bridge right before its collapse.  “See here on the second tower?” He points to a blurry black shape and Lance nods. “Well this was taken right before the bridge collapsed, killing a bunch of people.It’s mothman.”

 

Lance squints. To him it just looks like a blurry black blob on the photograph, nothing that a moth-man hybrid. But when he looks up his scepticism is brought to a quick halt. Keith looks so full of life. It’s like he is brimming with energy and passion. His eyes are lit up and his bangs are pulled into the most ridiculous bun on the top of his head so that he could keep it out of his face when he was digging through his notes from the last three Case Study classes (there seemed to be a lot more than three classes worth of notes as far as Lance could tell).

 

So he smiled and nods like he completely believes Keith.

 

“Yeah, I see him. Like the wings and stuff…” Lance vaguely gestures to the shape and Keith positively beams. But then, because he can’t help himself, Lance says “But I still won’t believe in bigfoot.”

 

Keith puts his head in his hands and groans.

 

“I can’t believe that I like- that you’re a non-believer!” He says, but Lance can hear a fondness in his tone that he never thought he would here from Keith. Keith sends him a small smile to show that he’s joking before going on a short rant about why bigfoot most certainly  _ was  _ real. 

 

“There is literally photographic evidence!”

 

“That could easily be a man in a gorilla suit.” Lance retorts laughing. He tries to pay attention to the conversation, but he can’t help but notice the way the sun dances on Keith’s cheeks and how his hands are constantly moving, flipping through notes and through pictures that he has saved on his phone (what a nerd, saving pictures of cryptids on his phone). 

 

Lance doesn’t know when he started liking Keith. Honestly, he probably hadn’t realized it until now, but it seems like a staple in his life, something that has always been there. Ever since Keith first came to his English class, waxing poetry like a fucking Shakespeare, Lance had been head over heels. Of course at the time he had never realized this- he was too busy creating a rivalry with Keith (he had never particularly cared about English, but there was no way in hell he was going to let some guy with a mullet outshine him). 

 

He had always seen Keith to be someone who didn’t care about anything, at least he looked that way in school with his emo, brooding attitude towards everything, so it was refreshing to see Keith so passionate about something (even if said something was totally ridiculous).

 

Keith was still talking about bigfoot. He made a big gesture and nearly knocked the sugar off of their table, but caught it just in time. Lance laughed along with Keith, but on the inside he was panicking a little bit about his sudden revelation. Normally he would put on a handsome smile and drop a pickup line into the conversation, maybe add in a suave wink or something, but he had a feeling Keith wouldn’t be very receptive to that. It wouldn’t hurt to try.

 

At a lull in the conversation, where Keith had paused to take a sip of his tea, Lance takes his chance.

 

“Hey Keith, are you an alien?” Lance asks. Keith’s forehead wrinkles in confusion.

 

“What-”

 

“Because you’re out of this world.” Lance finished. He waited for Keith’s reaction, expecting him to either blush (hopefully) or laugh it off (like most people do). But the confused look remains.

 

“Wha- Lance, that’s stupid. If I was an alien, why would I be trying to prove my existence. Don’t you think I would be trying to cover it up? If I was really an alien I wouldn’t even be in the Scientific Case Study class because I wouldn’t want anyone to know what I was. Unless...unless that's  _ exactly  _ why I would take the class. To throw people off my tail.  _ Lance!”  _ Keith lowered his voice to a frantic whisper.  _ “Do you think Coran is an alien?!” _

 

Lance groaned. Of course. Or course Keith wouldn’t get it. Of course he would take it literally, and now he thought that his professor was an alien.  _ I don’t even get why I like... _ Lance looked at Keith, who was quickly writing his theories in his notebook, his tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.  _ Nevermind. I do.  _ Lance groaned again.  _ Cute boys are my kryptonite.  _

 

“Sorry,” Keith said. “I’ll be done in a minute. That was a really good point you brought up...kind of.” 

 

Lance just nodded, even though he knew Keith couldn’t see him. So pick up lines hadn’t worked. Instead, it had the opposite effect. Now instead of swooning, Keith was paying no attention to Lance at all.  _ Desperate times call for desperate measures.  _

 

Lance pulled out his phone and sent a text to the group chat.

 

Group Chat: Kinkshame Lance 2K17

 

**Lancelot: Guys i need help**

 

**Lancelot: i lik keith and told him a pick up line n he didnt get it**

 

**Lancelot: wat do i do ???**

 

**Lancelot: halppppp**

 

**Pidgeon: dude chill**

 

**Pidgeon: is this highschool keith?**

 

**Pidgeon: keith lance had a total crush on?**

 

**Lancelot: yesss**

 

**Pidgen: wow didnt think u would admit it**

 

**Lancelot: thats cause i need hellp**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: I didn’t think you would admit it either**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: Why don’t you just ask him out next time you see him?**

 

**Lancelot: i dont no when thatll be!!1! Wat if i never see him after this**

 

**Pidgeon: wait your still with him?\**

 

**Lancelot: ya duh thats why i need help**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: You’re just texting him while sitting across from him?**

 

**Lancelot: o shut your proper capitalizationed ass**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: I’m going to call you. It’ll seem less rude.**

 

**Pidgeon: what about me!**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: Do you really want to give Lance romantic advice?**

 

**Pidgeon: yeah, nvm**

 

**Lancelot: hunk, you butiful human. I love your capitalizationed ass thank**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: Okay, Lance**

 

**Hunk-o-lovin: I’m calling.**

 

**Pidgeon: Go get ‘em Lancey boy**

 

Lance’s phone started ringing and Hunk’s contact showed up on the screen showing that he was calling, just like he said he would. Keith looked up in question and Lance tried his best to look regretful.

 

“Sorry, I gotta take this. I’ll be right back.” He said, waving his phone around as proof. Keith nodded and went back to his notes, filling the page and writing little messages and extras in the side margins.

 

Lance walked away until he was sure he was out of range, but he could still see Keith. Then he accepted the call from Hunk.

 

“Hey, what’s up?”

 

“What’s up? Oh, can he still hear you? Wait- can he hear me? Should I have not said that-”

 

“Chill Hunk, it’s okay. He can’ hear either of us.”

 

“Oh. phew.” He could hear Hunk sigh with relief. “That’s good. This would’ve been so awkward if he had just heard everything.”

 

Lance chuckled.

 

“Yeah, that’s for sure.” 

 

Lance is silent for too long before Hunk says “So are you gonna say anything?”

 

Uhhh, I was hoping you were gonna start.” 

 

Lance heard Hunk sigh again on the other side of the line.

 

“Okay, so Keith.” 

 

“Keith.”

 

“I’m happy for you, buddy.” Hunk said.

 

“Happy for me? I haven't even asked him out yet.” Lance said, confused. 

 

“No, I mean that you finally realized it. You’ve had a crush on him forever, but you were so blinded by that stupid rivalry...well, Pidge and I thought you’d realize.”

 

Lance scowled.

 

“Thanks for the faith, Hunk. So I’m totally gay for Keith, what do I do?” Lance said.

 

“Due, just ask him out. Why is that so hard to get. You ask people out all of the time.”

 

“I know, but this is different.” Lance whines. 

 

“Why, because it’s Keith?”

 

“Yeah, because it’s Keith. What if he says no?” 

 

“Then he says no. You’ll never know if you don’t try first.” 

 

Lance pouts. He hates how logical Hunk sounds. 

 

“But I don’t want to risk it. He- Keith wouldn’t like me.” 

 

“Why wouldn’t he like you?” Hunk asks. Lance can’t really tell accross the static of the phone, but he sounds concerned.

 

“Because he’s Keith. He’s cool and he’s good at everything. And I’m- I don’t now. I’m not really  _ good  _ at anything. There isn’t anything really interesting. And I’m annoying. Keith’s too good for someone like me.” Lance hates his insecurities, but he can’t help them. When you’re surrounded by incredible genius friends it’s hard not to feel worthless.

 

He didn’t want to ask Keith out because he knew what Keith would be thinking. He knew what Keith had thought of him from their many quarrels in High school, and none of it was good. He wanted to believe that some of it had changed for the better today, but he didn’t want to get his hopes up. Even though Keith was way more approachable now, and they were friends, and maybe because of this he wouldn’t be mean about rejecting Lance like some people were, Lance didn’t think he could handle that rejection.

 

Lance felt bad about how many times he was making Hunk sigh. He must be getting a lot of oxygen because of Lance’s problems. Lance wished he hadn’t said that, but he knew that he could tell Hunk everything. It was ridiculous- he was feeling insecure about being insecure. 

 

“Lance, you know that’s not true.” 

 

Lance began to protest, but Hunk stopped him. 

 

“Okay, maybe  _ you  _ don’t know that, but everyone around you does. Keith is cool- yeah, he is. But he’s also a total nerd. I remember in high school he used to doodle pictures of  _ mothman _ into his math workbooks. Keith may be good at a lot, but so are  _ you,  _ Lance. Maybe you can’t write like Keith, or you can’t build a computer from scratch like Pidge, but you’re great in your own kind of way. There is no one I know who can make me laugh like you do. You are the only person who can drag Pidge away from studying during finals week and make them eat something. You are a great friend, and not annoying at all if I have anything to say about it.”

 

Lance feels infinitely better. Of course he’s still doubtful, but if Hunk thinks he’s all right, then he can’t be that bad. Hunk is a great judge of character.

 

“And you are great at physics.” Hunk adds as an afterthought. Lance laughs.

 

“Thanks, man. That- that made me feel a lot better.” He glances over at Keith, who is texting someone and blushing furiously. Lance hopes it’s not a significant other. 

 

“I think I’m going to go do it now. Oh, and before I go home I am stopping at the store. Need anything?”

 

Hunk rattles off a list of ingredients he need for a dish.

 

“Okay...maybe just text me the list.”

 

“Okay. And Lance?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Go get ‘em.” Hunk says. Lance smiles.

 

“Yeah! Go get ‘em, Lance!” Pidge’s voice comes from the background. Lance’s eyes widen. Was Pidge there the whole time!? 

 

“Wait- Pidge? How long have you-” The call disconnects with a click before Lance can even finish his question, but he can imagine Pidge laughing afterwards. He didn’t really mind them hearing what he said, they were one of his best friends too. He just wished he had known they were there so he wouldn’t have said a few of the things he did about Keith. ‘ _ I’m totally gay for Keith.’  _ Lance grimaces. Pidge is totally gonna quote him on that.

 

Lance looks over at Keith and finds the other guy was already looking at him. Keith quickly looks away, blushing furiously.  _ What was that about,  _ Lance wonders absentmindedly.

 

Just as he’s about to head back over he runs into an old friend.

 

“Allura! Fancy seeing you here.” He says leaning his weight against a railing. Allura smiles, as beautiful as ever. Lance had met her a few years ago at a summer astronomy program. At the time he had had a bit of a crush on her, but that was mostly gone now. He could still appreciate how attractive she was, though. Her silver hair was piled into a messy bun at the top of her head, and her makeup was a good as always, characteristic glitter spread on her upper cheeks, under her eyes.

 

“Hi Lance,” She said with a small, exasperated smile. That smile was also a characteristic of hers when she talked to Lance, but he knew she loved him (mostly).

 

“How’s it going, Princess?” He asked, and Allura rolled her eyes with the nickname. 

 

“It’s alright. I’m actually coming back from a date.” She said. Lance put his hand to his chest in fake hurt.

 

“You break my heart like this?” He said, and Allura laughed.  He really didn’t mind. He hoped that whoever it was was a really cool person, though. Allura deserved nothing but the best. 

 

“If it becomes serious, promise you’ll bring him around to meet us, alright?” He said.

 

“I think that’s the last thing I’ll do. I don’t want all of you to scare him away.” She said pointedly. Lance tried to look offended, but he just ended up laughing loudly. He hadn’t really talked to Allura in...he didn’t even know. It had probably been several months. She had gone back overseas to visit family in England for the summer, so Lance hadn’t seen her since before that. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed her. 

 

Lance glanced back at Keith. Keith was looking over at them and he was...was he glaring.  _ Did he know Allura? Did he have bad history with her?  _ Lance didn’t see why else Keith would be looking at her so irritatedly. 

 

Allura followed Lance’s gaze over to Keith and she gave him a knowing smirk. 

 

“Did I interrupt a date?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows in a very not-Allura-like way.  Lance blushed and fumbled over his words.

 

“No! Er- I he’s- it’s not like that!” Lance said. Allura looked over at Keith again and squinted her eyes.

 

“Is that Keith?” She asked. 

 

“How do you know that!?” Lance squawked.

 

“I’m dating his brother.” 

 

Lance didn’t even have time to be embarrassed by the surprised squeaking sound he had made before Allura continued.

 

“At least I think we’re dating. He kept referring to our dates as ‘study sessions’. And when I asked him out to dinner he seemed pretty surprised.” Allura’s eyes widened in understanding. “Shiro didn’t even know we were dating.” She murmured, mostly to herself. Lance nodded.

 

“Mmhmm.” He hummed absentmindedly. He wasn’t paying full attention to her mutterings about her boyfriend not realizing he was her boyfriend. Lance snorted. Some people were just so  _ oblivious. _

 

“But of course, don’t let me keep you.” Allura said, this time more directed at Lance. She grinned wickedly. “I think your date is waiting for you.”

 

As Lance began to protest she waved his protests off and started to turn and walk away.

 

“It was really great catching up with you, but I have a seminar I really need to get to. We should all get together, you, Pidge, Hunk and I.  _ No Shiro _ .” She said forcefully, calling over her shoulder. Then her bright demeanor returned and she smiled and waved one last time. “Bye Lance!” Lance just waved back as he watched Allura disappear behind the corner of a building. 

 

Lance took Allura’s advice and began to walk back to Keith and his table. He was also going to take Hunk’s advice and ask him out on a date. He was nervous as fuck, yeah, but he knew that if he didn’t he would regret it infinitely more than he would if he did and got rejected. 

 

Keith was back in his phone, typing intensely, his tongue sticking out of his mouth in concentration. It was unfair that he was so cute, mullet and emo cropped  leather jacket wearing and all. Mostly it was unfair that someone like Keith had gotten Lance so royally fucked.

 

;;;

 

Almost like destiny Keith had gotten a text from Shiro as soon as Lance had left to take his call. 

 

**Shiro: Hey Keith, I’m going to have to cancel movie night on saturday**

 

Keith furrowed his brow and texted back instantly. 

 

**Keith: Why do you need to cancel**

 

**Shiro: date**

 

**Keith: Allura better be the most amazing person you have ever met**

 

**Keith: This better not be to get out of watching Aliens on the Moon: the truth exposed**

 

**Shiro: it’s not**

 

**Shiro: and she is**

 

**Keith: . . .**

 

**Keith: Well Im happy for you**

 

**Keith: Maybe we can do movie night friday?**

 

**Shiro: can’t**

 

**Shiro: I’m studying with Allura again**

 

**Keith: wow, two dates in a row**

 

**Shiro: We’re studying!**

 

**Shiro: can you do it tonight? Or I’m free right now. You don’t have any classes right now so you could just come over**

 

**Keith: cant**

 

**Shiro: Why not?**

 

**Keith: I’m hanging out with Lance**

 

**Shiro: Is this high school lance?**

 

**Keith: Yep**

 

**Shiro: Douchey Lance that you hated?**

 

**Keith: yep**

 

**Keith: i mean, i think. I dont really remember**

 

Keith looked at Lance standing on the other side of the quad. He couldn’t see his face, but he was making large hand gestures. Keith really liked the way Lance communicated, all big gestures and expressions. One would think it would make him seem like an open book, everything out in the open and written across his face, but if anything it made the boy more complex. Lance waved his arms in the air and then quickly put his phone back to his ear, like he forgot that it had to be there to talk to someone. Keith smiled in spite of himself.

 

**Keith: but hes really cool now**

 

**Keith: well not cool**

 

**Keith: just less of a douchebag. Hes really nice and funny**

 

**Keith: He doesn’t believe in bigfoot tho**

 

**Shiro: Well that’s a deal breaker**

 

**Keith: what do you mean deal breaker**

 

**Shiro: I mean you can't like him if he doesn’t believe**

 

**Shiro: It was a joke. Obviously you still like him.**

 

**Keith: What do you mean like him?**

 

Keith looked up at Lance, whose face seems unnaturally red. But it might be just a trick of the light, or Keith’s bad vision. He had forgotten to put in his contacts that morning.

 

**Keith: I mean hes alright**

 

**Shiro: You called him cool. And you think he’s funny and nice. You never compliment people like that, Keith**

 

**Keith: I dont like him**

 

**Shiro: uh huh**

 

**Shiro: Since I’m going on a date this Saturday why don’t you ask him to do something. Maybe dinner?**

 

**Keith: What if he says no**

 

**Shiro: Then he says no. A boy rejecting you isn’t the end of the world.**

 

**Shiro: I know you don’t like college and you’re only here because I asked you to be, but you might as well make the most of it. And who knows? Maybe you’ll click.**

 

**Shiro: Anyway, he’ll probably say yes**

 

**Keith: why do you say that?**

 

Keith looked back up at Lance and was surprised to see him talking with someone. It was a girl with dark skin and silver hair piled into a bun. It actually looked a lot like...Keith couldn’t be sure because she had only met him a few times, but she looked a lot like Allura, Shiro’s girlfriend. He wondered why she was talking to Lance.

 

Lance leaned on a railing in a way that almost seemed flirtatious and Keith clenched his jaw. A spike of something that felt a lot like jealousy shot through Keith’s veins. 

 

Lance laughed loudly enough that Keith could hear it from across the quad. He turned to look at Lance and possibly-Allura and saw that she was laughing too. Keith felt his stomach drop with disappointment. Why was he disappointed? He came to 2 conclusions. 

 

  1. He liked Allura, or whoever that girl over there was and didn’t want lance to have a chance to ask her out. That seemed too mean for him, and anyway, it was impossible. Keith was about as straight as a curly fry and he was pretty sure that if it was Allura then Shiro might be dating her. 



 

  1. He was jealous of Allura. Which meant that he somehow found something appealing in this complete mess of a boy, who liked space and had freckles and blue eyes and a bright but smug smile that made Keith’s heart clench in either frustrated or- fuck. It was option 2, wasn’t it? Keith was beginning to actually _like_ Lance, like Shiro had suggested. That option seemed to be making more and more sense.



 

Keith didn’t even realize he was still staring at Lance until he noticed both Lance and Allura looking his way. His face burned from embarrassment, whether from their looks or from his sudden revelation and insight on his almost feelings or something else.

 

Keith looked back at his phone and found a few more texts from Shiro.

 

**Shiro: Just some of the stuff you’ve told me over the years**

 

**Shiro: Call it a cousin’s intuition**

 

**Shiro: So are you going to ask him out?**

 

Keith sighed. Seeing Lance and realizing...things sealed Keith’s resolve. Maybe he was being a bit impulsive, but that was what he was known for.

 

**Keith: yeah, I think I will**

 

**Shiro: Let me know how it goes**

 

**Keith: will do**

 

Keith looked up and saw Lance wae at a disappearing Allura and head over to their table. He focused on his phone, pretending to type out a message to someone when Lance came over. It was lame, yeah, but Keith didn’t know if he could come at this head on. 

 

“So,” Lance said as he sat down. “Anything new and interesting?” He asked, gesturing to Keith’s phone. Keith set it down on the table.

 

“Nope.” He said lying through his teeth and blushing face. At least Lance seemed to buy it.

 

;;;

 

Keith didn’t even notice how much time has gone by. By the time his conversations with Lance seemed to come to a close the sun had already started to dip lower in the sky, washing everything in a deep golden colour. With a quick check to his phone he found out that it was 16:14. He didn’t have any classes today, besides the one he had earlier and a class that starts at 19:00 that he felt like skipping. What he really wanted to do is keep talking with Lance, but he wasn’t going to be the one to suggest it. 

 

“So, uh, do you...know what you want to major in?” Lance asked. It’s a somewhat desperate questions and Keith dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, Lance didn’t want this to end either.

 

“Well...no. Not really. I mean, it’s only freshman year. We don’t have to know our major yet.” Keith said. He really hated talking about school, which is unfortunate because everyone at the college seemed to bring it up in conversation at least once.

 

Lance seemed to ponder what he said for a second before responding.

 

“Yeah, I guess so. For me I’ve kind of always known what I wanted to do.” He said. That peaked Keith’s interest.

 

“Yeah? What’s that?” He asked.

 

“I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut. I know, I know, it’s really unlikely. I-I haven’t always been that great in school either, so it probably won’t happen. I-I’ve always wanted to be up there, y’know.” He seemed downcast before cracking a grin. “With the aliens.” He added. Keith frowned. He could tell that Lance is trying to lighten the mood, but Keith didn’t like how insecure he saw Lance before. He felt strangely protective of this boy even though he had not known him for very long.

 

“I think you can do it.” 

 

Lance’s expression turned serious, yet surprised as he looks at Keith.

 

“I think you’re plenty smart. And you seem relatively hard working. I mean, look where you are. This is a pretty good college and you wouldn’t have gotten in if they thought you couldn’t do it.” Keith could feel himself scowling and so he tried to smooth out his features.

 

“You-you really think that?” Lance seemed suspicious, like he thought Keith was lying.

 

“Absolutely.” He nodded. Lance positively beamed and Keith could feel his face heating up. 

 

“Thanks.” Lance said quietly. Keith could hear the sincerity behind those words. Lance cleared his throat before continuing, louder this time. “So, you said you don’t know your major, right. What, no interests?”

 

Keith rolled his eyes. He knew this conversation.

 

“Nope.” He said, popping the ‘p’. Lance seemed confused for a second.

 

“No interests? You don’t like anything?” 

 

Keith sighed.  _ I like you,  _ his mind unhelpfully supplied. Keith didn’t even know where that came from. Sure, Lance was  _ really  _ pretty, and he was funny and could hold an interesting conversation and he didn’t insult Keith’s interests (anymore) and he did this thing that Keith really liked with his- _ oh shut up,  _ he told his mind. 

 

“No.” He finally said. 

 

“Jeez, tough crowd.” Lance twisted his expression into an over exaggerated frown and deepened his voice. “I’m Keith, I’m so emo.”

 

Keith frowned.

 

“I don’t sound like that at all.” He said.

 

“Yeah you do.” Lance retorted, raising his eyebrows in challenge. Keith sighed good naturedly.

 

“Don’t you want me to like you?” He asked.

 

“Oh please, you already do.”

 

At the implications of this, Keith felt himself blush. He looked to Lance, who cleared his throat awkwardly, seemingly also affected. Maybe he also...no, Keith didn’t want to let himself hope like that. _ But maybe... _

 

“So um-”

 

“What time-” Lance and Keith both spoke at once. Keith blushed again, and cursed his pale complexion.

 

“You go first.” Lance said.

 

“No, no, what I was going to say wasn't’ important. You can, uh, you can go first.” 

 

Lance seemed to be ready to protest, but Keith stopped him with a pointed look. Keith didn’t even know what he was going to say, he was just hoping that he would have said something on the spot, anything to stay at that sunny cafe a bit longer.

 

Lance nodded and continued.

 

“What time is it? I have a class at four thirty over on the west campus.” He said. Keith felt like his throat was closing- he was no longer able to breath. He thought that maybe they would have a little more time, enough time to muster up some courage and- and what? Was he going to ask him out like Shiro said to? Would he just give Lance his number and tell him to call him? Or would he let this chance slip through his fingers?

 

_ No. Not that. _

 

“Hey, dude, you okay?” Lance said, waving his hand in front of Keith’s face.

 

“Hmm? Oh, yeah, uh…” Keith had forgotten Lance’s question.  _ Oh yeah, the time.  _ “It’s about…” He looked at his watch. “Four thirty five.” 

 

“ Coño. I gotta go. Shit. I’m already late.” He said.

 

“Making a habit of that, are you?” Keith said. Lance just rolled his eyes, smiling while flipping him off. He finished his drink and grabbed his bag, making to go, but instead of leaving he hesitated. He looked like he wanted to say something, but began to turn away. Keith, being as impulsive as he is moved before he even realized, grabbing Lance by the arm before he could go.’

 

“Wait.” He said. Lance looked down at the place where Keith had grabbed his arm with surprise. When Keith realized what he did, he blushed and let go. “I-um…” He didn’t even know what he was going to say.

 

“I would like to do this again. I mean, see you. We could hang out or...something.” Lance said, class seemingly forgotten.

 

“Yeah. Hang out…”Keith said. That sounded great, but Keith was hoping for more. What if he had read Lance wrong and he really wasn’t interested. What if he just wanted to be friends. If that was what Lance wanted, then Keith wouldn’t be opposed. He would take what he could get. 

 

Lance was still standing next to Keith, making no move to leave even as the seconds ticked by and he got later and later for class. It seemed like he was expecting something. Did he want Keith to say something? What was he waiting for? It seemed like everything was a question when it came to Lance. Who? When? Where? How? Why?

 

What if?

 

Keith didn’t want any more what ifs.

 

“Lance, I- do you want to go to dinner o n Saturday? With me?” Keith asked. Lance’s eyes widened.

 

“Dinner? Like-like a-” Lance stumbled over his words.

 

“Like a date.” Keith confirmed. Lance sucked in a breath and coloured.

 

“I-yes.” Lance breathed. Keith let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding (something he thought only happened in shitty fanfiction). Relief washed over him like a tidal wave.

 

“Yes?” He asked, just wanting to make sure. Or maybe he just wanted to hear Lance say it again.

 

“Yes. Yes with a capital Y. I was actually going to- there’s a sci-fi movie showing at the theater in the Castro. Y’know, like 2001 and Aliens and stuff like that. I was going to ask… but um, maybe we can do both?” Lance said, a huge smile enveloping his face. Keith stood up and grabbed his bag and his skateboard from under his chair. He stood up next to Lance and smiled.

 

“I think that sounds perfect. And also,“ He said, placing a hand on Lance’s chest and pushing his slightly. “That someone’s going to be late.”

 

That seemed to get Lance going. He raised his hand to wave, but ended up doing an awkward sort of salute before running off.

 

“Bye, mullet!” He called over his shoulder. Keith laughed.

 

“Bye, Tailor!” He called back.

 

“So you do remember!” He heard Lance yell faintly before he disappeared across the quad. Instead of answering, Keith just laughed. He looked at their table to make sure he didn’t leave anything (like his phone that one time when he thought Shiro had stolen it and had tried to wrestle Shiro’s phone out of his grip as an ‘eye for an eye’ kind of deal). He didn’t see his phone (it was safely in his pocket, thank god) but something did catch his eye. On Lance’s receipt for his paste-somethings and juice Lance had doodled a tiny galaxy with an alien with a suspicious looking- well, Keith refused to call it a mullet. Underneath were a few lines of text that Keith quickly read.

 

_ Who took the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes? _

 

_         Call me, Mothman _

 

_ 415-xxx-xxxx _

 

Those few lines should really not have affected Keith like they did, but he felt himself smiling slightly. Sure he remembered Lane a little bit from school, it just took a bit of Lance’s loud voice and stupid jokes to jog his memory, but he had only really known him in depth for a few hours. He hadn’t even liked him for all of those hours. But he liked him now, that’s for sure. 

 

**Keith: don’t worry about me on friday** _ [image attached] _

 

Keith sent Shiro a picture of Lance’s note and entered Lance’s number into his phone. He was about to throw away the paper, but he pocketed it instead. He couldn't help it. Turns out cute boys and bad jokes are his kryptonite.

 

**Shiro: You two are dorks.**

 

**Shiro: I’m glad you followed my advice.**

 

**Shiro: Wait, did he call you mothman?**

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed that. I changed POV randomly to Lance in the middle of that and this is super rushed (like who, besides my own pathetic ass, develops a crush on someone in a number of hours), but I have been wanting to write Klance since forever. If there is anything that should be changed, just let me know. I didn't have my beta go over this because this isn't really their thing, so it is pretty messy. 
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading. Please, comment or leave kudos! Hopefully I will write some more Klance in the future!
> 
> -skulls-surround-suns


End file.
